Visitation to Karbala – Happens through an invitation or through devotion?
Reflection via personal experience
Imam Al Hussain (as) is the grandson of Prophet Muhammed (saww), the last Prophet of Islam. His sacrifice is eternal, everlasting and his message is that of justice and truth. Imam Al Hussain (as) stood against the tyrant of his time, Yazid and saved humanity from hypocrisy and injustice. His movement was to save the entire human race from the wrong and evil. Imam Al Hussain (as) along with his family and his companions around 100 of them were martyred on the 10th of Muharrum on the plains of Karbala 1400 years ago. His death is mourned all over the world by not only Shia Muslims but anyone who believes in good and upholds the message of truth. Imam Hussain (as) is buried in Karbala along with his sons and his brother AbuFadhlil Abbas (as). His companions are buried there as well. People from different cultures, races, religions, backgrounds walk towards Karbala to visit him and remember his sacrifice on the 40th day of his martyrdom called Arbaeen, the walk of the free. Millions walk, serve and lament in his name to this day, boldly propagating the message of peace to an ailing world.
The love of Imam Al Hussain (as) drives you insane, in a good way, of course, it creates this rush within you, for numerous good things which you wouldn’t have done or even thought about otherwise. Imam Al Hussain (as) inspires you! He does it brilliantly! Whether it is by putting his love in your heart, that makes you content only if you visit him, or putting this desire to do better towards your societies and communities in a way that would resonate through his story.
The event of Karbala has a million lessons, if we each learn, reflect and apply even one of them into our lives, our lives would thoroughly turn out for the better. Not only your own, but it definitely pushes you to help and inspire others as well. We could create a revolution and change the world, if not the entire world, maybe at least the world within ourselves or the world around us. If we take a minute right now and think about any one lesson that Karbala teaches us, and begin to apply it from tomorrow onwards, trust me things will change. Let’s begin with Lady Zaynab’s (as) patience, both before and after Karbala. How many of us lose it with just one test or one problem? How many of us start complaining if Allah (swt) tests us with that one thing we truly desire? How many of us start asking, “why me?”?
Well, that is most of us. But just imagine how much our lives would evolve if we tried to practice at least 1% of Lady Zaynab’s (as) quality of patience. Imagine if we follow in the footsteps of Lady Zaynab (as) who said, “I see nothing but the beauty of Allah (swt).” after experiencing an enormous amount of pain after the tragedy of Karbala. If we seriously try to be like her, we would be busy appreciating the little blessings that Allah (swt) has bestowed upon us, instead of the ingratitude that we frequently express towards Him. How much would this trait help us be more sensitive towards the problems of others instead of own? How much would this help us understand and work towards solving other issues around the world today? How would inculcating this trait of patience and thanksgiving help us be there for others?
Unfortunately, we are so busy within our own little bubbles and our own mess, that we refuse to accept that anyone may or might have it worse than us. We are so busy measuring our lives on an unachievable scale, that we get vicious and vigorous towards achieving those goals that have made us totally unaware and insensitive to what may be happening right before us. Now, when we look at Lady Zaynab (as), we can see what an unimaginable tragedy befell her, but what she looked towards was the bigger picture. She saw the betterment of the coming generations, she saw Islam secured and that’s when she proclaimed, that she saw nothing but the beauty of Allah (swt), and that is exactly what Imam Al Hussain (as) strove to protect. SubhanAllah! The message of Allah (swt) for humanity.
Imam Hussain is for all. The tragedy of Karbala is for all. No matter who you are, where you are or what you do, if you deeply and passionately love Imam Al Hussain (as), a fire is lit inside you. You want to embody him. Be like him. Be inspired by him. Along with that a hope, a desire, a wish, a prayer develops inside you, which makes you want to visit him as soon as possible. You just want to run to Karbala, and be by his shrine under the beautiful dome. Your every sujood after every prayer, each wish starts and ends with this desire. Your heart yearns in, and your mind begins to work towards it.
But this doesn’t happen as easily as I typed it, and as easily as you read it. It takes time, perseverance, commitment, and even a test of faith for some. To visit Karbala, you need an invitation, unlike other places, where you only need a visa, an itinerary and loads of cash. To get an invitation to Karbala, it takes a lot of devotion and dedication. Karbala is the Heaven on Earth, and as you need to be a nice person with good deeds to go to Heaven. Karbala needs the same.
My journey towards Karbala started way back in 2015, that’s the exact year when I sincerely and passionately dived into the message of Karbala. Before this time, Muharrum was just a ceremonial month where we would mourn for 10 days and get on with life on the 11th day. The love for Imam Hussain was there even then. It was inculcated deep within me from my very first breath, Alhamdulillah. But the year 2015, made it much stronger and meaningful.
2015, was the year when I was introduced to the world of English majalis by my cousin. He asked me to randomly watch one of Sayed Ammar Nakshwani’s lectures, and there was no looking back after which, I went on to watch his lecture on the Event of Ghadeer and understood the fact that it was more than just an announcement or a sermon, it was a revelation, a sign, the final and the most important message from Allah (swt) through the last Prophet (saww) of Islam. This helped me understand the essence of Shia’ism, along with its purpose.
After this came the month of Muharrum, things changed for the better. I started listening to majalis online from various scholars around the world. Each helped me look at Karbala differently. With each lecture, each lamentation, each masaib, my longing to be at Karbala increased, further and further. That year, I registered for the December trip with Spiritual Journeys, but as time got closer, something personal came up, and I had to back out. Another year went by, with a deep unfulfilled desire in my heart to visit my Imam and to visit the land where it all happened. The following year again, I registered with the same group, but again, unfortunately, couldn’t make it that year too as I had a lot of coursework due. Again the year after, I couldn’t make it due to some financial commitments. As much as it upset me, as much as it broke my heart each time I couldn’t go, each year came with an opportunity to reflect on my shortcomings, my faults, my slips, my wrongdoings. Every year would bring space for me to think about which of my actions may have upset the Imam (as). Each year, got me more and closer, to the Divine by seeking forgiveness and thanking Him immensely for all the blessings.
In 2018, I registered, Alhamdulillah got a spot. We need to take a moment here to appreciate the patience that SJ showed towards me with my frequent registrations. Things just started falling in place, everything just went easy. To be honest, the situation wasn’t any different from the previous years, but Alhamdulillah, when Imam Hussain (as) invites you, nothing comes in the middle. With this whole episode, I noticed one thing, some may wait for an invitation from the Imam (as), some may wait for financial stability, some may wait for being spiritually ready. As much as each of these is important, nothing comes near faith, devotion, and love. If you have those things towards the Ahlulbayt (as), they will invite you no matter what. Imam Hussain (as) tests you. He sees how much can you endure in the struggle towards him. Personally, I have seen people with no money, visit Abbabdillah (as) frequently, and those with millions waiting for an invitation. It is all about your dedication and nothing more. Nothing less.
When you are finally there, like right there, standing right before those personalities who you dearly love, the feeling is just indescribable, it is too overwhelming. You are just there, with a heart full of emotions and a numb mind. You have no idea what to do, what to say, all you do is weep. All you do is cry, cry like a baby who is just born. Cry like you just felt your soul. Cry like, everything has changed from this very moment. You recall your every sin, every mistake, every error, and you think to yourself after all of this, you were still invited, the Ahlulbayt (as) has called you towards them. They have pulled you towards them like a magnet pulls iron filings. Maybe it is a sign to change from now on. I could do this by giving up that one wrong habit that Allah (swt) dislikes and thank him for this blessing. You just feel eternally thankful, blissfully grateful. Words do not suffice me here. But the experience and the feelings and the smell, of these places, is divine!
We reached Najaf, in the morning, I went to the hotel room and rested for a bit while my roommate, a lovely lady (she added a beautiful charm and some thought-provoking discussions to this entire trip) had already visited the Shrine of Imam Ali (as), she went and paid her respects. I was just looking at her and felt weird about why I didn’t feel like going and doing the same. I took a while to think about it, and when I would think about going, it would leave me blank. That’s when I felt or rather realized, that I need someone with me, as in a scholar, to give me a brief lecture, give a little starter to my thoughts and feelings, help me understand how I feel about Imam Ali (as) at the precise moment when I stand before him. I don’t want to visit him and feel overwhelmed and be unable to say the right things or more like the appropriate things. The Imam I have called out to all my life, the Imam who has been there for me at all times. The Imam I surely have let down multiple times when I haven’t followed his teachings completely and have had the audacity to pick and choose from what I like and what I don’t feel comfortable doing. What do you say to an exceptional personality like Imam Ali (as)? I thought, maybe I should begin with saying a thank you!
Later that evening, we walk towards the shrine of Imam Ali (as), I couldn’t seem to lift my head up, too much to take it all in, first it’s the disbelief lingering around, like, “Am I really here?”
We now stand right in front of the gate, the gate of knowledge as he is! Shiekh Mohammed Al Hilli was phenomenal with his introduction. All I remember was, he asked us to thank Allah (swt) and Imam Ali (as) for inviting us, and to thank them for everything. He gave a captivating lecture comprising a number of things which certainly put my thoughts out in the right direction. After which all I remember was, my head was down and I began connecting with the Imam. There was this inner voice within me, straight from my heart which started speaking to him. Tears began rolling, as we prayed the Ziyarah. These are those moments when you realize, that life is more than those targets we try to achieve, and those ridiculous materialistic aims that we have put down for ourselves. In these moments you realize how much of our souls have we damaged in doing those things, and while you stand there and speak to your Imam, you can feel yourself healing. You feel like that dose of medicine that just soothes your pain. Spiritual healing as I would like to say. It is just precious! Certainly, I’ll never forget that moment. That moment was everything. And I am glad, I didn’t go on my own. I am glad I waited. I am glad I didn’t rush this, or else it wouldn’t be as beautiful as it was. Alhamdulillah!
During the next few days, a series of visits happened. Firstly, it was Masjid Al Kufa, near that area we visited Maythem Al-Tammar, a very dedicated companion of Imam Ali (as), very inspiring, a very dedicated companion, loads to learn from. Dr. Sayed Ammar Nakshawani gave us a whole history of the city of Kufa, which made it easier to put a lot of puzzle pieces together and everything made sense a lot better and in depth. While Masjid Al Kufa has a lot of history within it, of the different Prophets of Islam, has different companions (Muslim bin Aqeel, Hani bin Urwa, and Mukhtaar Al Thaqafi) buried there, it is an emotional site for the lovers of Imam Ali (as), it is the exact site where Imam Ali (as) was struck on the 19th of Ramadan. Standing near the qibla where he was struck, and then later walking towards the Imam’s house, you envision the amount of time it must have taken him during that painful walk on that morning. It is deeply sad, and again, the excellent lectures and descriptions of the different sites and personalities by Shiekh Mohammed Al Hilli, helped us all connect in a way we otherwise wouldn’t possibly have.
That same day, we were blessed with the opportunity to go and visit the Grand Ayatollah Sistani, at his residence which was a great honor in itself. Sitting there at his residence, and admiring the simplicity that he practices, whether it is his house or his way of life was indeed a lesson session on its own. You indeed realize that this is how men of knowledge and those that seek the pleasure and wish to serve Allah (swt), His Prophet (saww) and his Holy Household (as) would live because they resided and lived their lives in the very same way. With sheer elegance and simplicity, they did not seek this world, rather were busy attaining and working for the next. It made me reflect on what is indeed our real purpose. In the course of meeting him, we were blessed with some real pearls of wisdom, he told us how having good manners was so important in today’s world. Shiekh Al Hilli was really kind to translate everything for us word by word. We were all later given an individual opportunity to meet and greet him along with any wishes and desires that we wished to share with him. Personally, I felt extremely privileged to have been given this glorious opportunity, one that I will cherish for a lifetime. Alhamdulillah!
At that same night, Shiekh Mohammed Al Hilli gave us an enlightening majalis about Imam Ali (as) in the Haram of Imam Ali (as), it was captivating. After which he took us around on a tour around the Haram and told us how many scholars of impeccable knowledge were buried right there and some informative history and stories of each of them.
The next morning, we went to visit Prophet Hud and Prophet Saleh at Wadi As Salaam, which was again a moment of deep reflection after Shiekh Mohammed Al Hilli delivered the whole concept of death, and how we need to work towards it and prepare ourselves for it.
It is something that we don’t occasionally think about, it is just something we may think will happen, but not now. But it is indeed an inevitable reality that one may have to face sooner than they think. It was just a serious reality check to be listening about death right in the middle of a cemetery, our final destination. InshaAllah!
Later that afternoon, we went to visit Masjid Hanana, where the heads of the martyrs of Karbala were kept for some time, an area full of emotions and grief. After that, we went to visit Kumail ibn Ziyad, this was a major goosebumps moment for me, for me as we were at the very resting place of the man who conveyed Dua Al Kumayl to us from Imam Ali (as) the very dua that we recite every Thursday night. What a beautiful dua it is indeed! Here again, Sayed Ammar Nakshawani gave us an informational lecture, about Kumayl Ibn Ziyad, and left us with a question, Where were all the companions of Imam Ali (as), like Kumayl, Qambar, at Karbala? Where were they? And you begin to think yes! Exactly, where were they? Well, that is something we could all look into. InshaAllah!
Somewhere before Maghrib, we headed towards Masjid Al Sahla, on a Tuesday evening, about which traditions mention that Imam Az Zamana (atfs) visits Masjid Al Sahla on a Tuesday evening. This is one experience, I will never have enough words for, or rather I will never be able to word it rightly. It was very difficult for me to believe that we were blessed to be right there, just right where the Imam (atfs) would come and live when he reappears InshaAllah. I will never and never be able to fully express and deliver what I felt on that day there. It was beyond belief, and I felt truly obliged as I pledged my allegiance to the Imam of our time (atfs) not in words, but by heart. Alhamdulillah.
The following morning was really heavy on the heart, we had to bid farewell to Imam Ali (as) and proceed towards Karbala, as much as my heart wanted to rush towards Abbabdillah (as), at the same time I wanted to be next to Imam Ali (as) as well. Shiekh Al Hilli gave a beautiful farewell, along with it we pledged out our allegiances towards the Ahlulbayt (as). Here I would like to mention something that truly broke my heart, and shattered me completely, is that whenever Shiekh would mention Lady Fatema (as) near the Shrine of Imam Ali (as), I would just remember the site of Madinah and how we have no idea where her grave is. How we would love to be visiting her as well, just like we visit the rest of her family. That thought, of Lady Fatema (as) near the Shrine of Imam Ali (as) just chokes you up with emotions you can never really pen down. It is just this feeling for both helplessness and pain. Yet again, words don’t do any justice here. But that feeling is heartbreaking.
We bid farewell to Imam Ali (as) and boarded our buses to move towards Karbala.
One of the major things I thoroughly enjoyed on this trip, was the constant question-answer sessions. I mean, it was just awesome to have both Shiekh Al Hilli and Sayed Ammar Nakshawani available at all times to answer the very basic of your questions. Some of the questions were brilliant and the answers left me like, wow!! It was pretty interesting to know various things at all times. We had one such session with Shiekh Al Hilli on the bus to Karbala, and it was some important information he gave out there, from topics of permissible food to cleanliness and other various subjects. Likewise, when Sayed Ammar Nakshawani had graced our bus with his presence on the way to Kufa, the topics varied, from free will to evolution and other topics. Even the independent question-answer sessions in the hotel and otherwise were extraordinary. So much to learn from and reflect upon. SubhanAllah!
Our buses stopped 3 km away from Karbala, where we prayed Zohr Asr, and walked our way in. Now this experience was everything. Bless my heart! With some very talented reciters reciting some exceptionally melancholic eulogies in both English and Urdu. I am not too sure how others were feeling then, but I was numb. You know that feeling when you really really want something, and when it finally happens, you just go numb with happiness or numb with gratefulness. You just can’t seem to place yourself or believe that this is actually happening! That was me.
As we were walking, my friend tapped me and said, “Look, we can see the Shrine of Hazrat Abbas (as)!!”. I looked, and asked, “Where?”. She again said, “Look there! Right there!”. And I saw it! AbuFadhlil Abbas (as) right there before me. Right there. I couldn’t wait to cover this distance and be right next to him. But before that, I made my 3 wishes. It is said that when you see the dome of AbuFadhlil Abbas (as) for the first time you should ask for three wishes. I just asked one wish three times, “Call me again O’ Abbas! Call me every year O’ Abbas! Call me frequently O’ Abbas!”. That’s it, I wished for everything I would ever need. Everything, I asked for it all. No wish is rejected by Hazrat Abbas (as)! I am positive. I am sure I am going to see him sooner than soon, InshaAllah!
We walked towards the Shrines, along with some heartbreaking recitations. I didn’t cry, I couldn’t cry. I was in disbelief, in spite of being there and knowing that I was there. I could feel it but I couldn’t cry. We walked. I walked with all the guilt in my eyes, a lump in my throat and then I saw the Haram of AbuFadhlil Abbas (as). It was there, right there before me. And then the reciter recites one of my most favorite nohas by Mir Hassan Mir, “Abbas tera haqq hai, zamana tujhe roye, Jab shaam o seher, Fatema Zahra (as) tujhe roye.” (Abbas it is your right that the world laments you, when night and day Lady Fatema Zahra (as) laments for you.)
That’s it, the realization hit me, and I was there, consciously, totally! I was there. These lines shook me to actuality.
Then, we walked towards Bainul Haramain, and there Sheikh Al Hilli again gave us a beautiful lecture, of where we are standing, that’s where realization hit me again, slightly harder this time. It was just so incredible! I couldn’t believe my eyes as to what I was seeing as I set my eyes upon the Haram of Imam Al Hussain (as). That was the very moment as the Shiekh spoke and recited the Ziyarah I wept and cried for the very reason, that I was extremely thankful to be invited and totally undeserving. After all, I had done, after all the mistakes, the feeling to stand there was very profuse and overwhelming. Then we turned towards AbuFadhlil Abbas (as), and there again, my heart cried profusely. My soul finally felt at home, is all I can write. To think about this moment, it is so personal and so full of emotion that as much I consult any thesaurus around, none will be able to exactly describe how I felt, and how I feel about it even now. Only Imam (as) knows, and Abufadhil (as) knows. Only they know.
That very evening Sheikh Al Hilli gave us a very descriptive history of the Shrines and how it has come around triumphant to be safe and look the way it does today for us. Later, we went inside and saw the dharihs of other personalities that are buried alongside Imam Al Hussain (as), both his sons Baby Ali Asghar (as) and Ali Akbar (as) are buried right next to him. All the other Shohada are buried near him. His friend and companion Habib bin Mazahir is buried a little away from him as well. Imam Musa ibn Jafar’s (as) son Ibrahim Ibn Musa is also buried in the same Shrine. The area where Imam Hussain (as) was martyred has been preserved as well with a dharih put around it. Very heart-rending.
The following days were each special, with each personal visit to the Shrines. Each had its own moment, each had its own memory.
On Thursday night, we had a mesmerizing recitation of Dua Al Kumayl, after which we had a superbly gripping majalis by Sayed Ammar Nakshawani, sitting in the land of Karbala and listening to him there was an experience on another level altogether. Later, after the majalis we had Nohakhawaan Mir Hassan Mir recite some heartbreaking recitations and matam. What an event!
On Friday evening, we were given a brief lecture on the Imams and revered personalities whom we were going to visit the next day at Samarra, Balad, and Kadhmain. The more I heard, the more I realized how important these Imams were, and what great personalities I was about to go and visit. The personalities I had heard about, read about, the very people who gave their lives to give us the Islam that we have and that we preach today. Sayed Ammar gave us a lecture and a little revision on who were we visiting, a bit of their history. It gave us a vibe, a push, a moment to prepare ourselves as to who we were about to visit.
The next morning was an early start, we boarded our buses and head off to Samarra first. The journey was beautiful, with some lovely views to look at. When we were finally there, the area around the Shrine of Imam Ali Al Hadi (as) and Imam Hassan Al-Askari (as) is very heartbreaking. The area around is all destroyed, it just shatters your heart as to how much these Imams have endured during their lifetime and how much they still endure while they lay at rest. But when you later see the Shrine and begin to walk towards it to witness how beautifully it has been rebuilt again after all that it has been through, you realize that no matter how many times they shall try to demolish us, we will rise again, even better, even stronger than before. SubhanAllah!
After you visit the Shrine there, there is a place underground, downstairs, it is the spot where Imam Al Mahdi (atfs) went into occultation. It is a very spiritual spot. I remember not wanting to leave the place, in fact, I came out of the area and went all the way back again because the way I felt there, I have never felt something like that in my entire life. It was very sacred.
We began our journey towards Balad after Samarra, and of course, again, it was a wonderful feeling being there as well to visit Sayed Mohammed. It was beautiful. The Shrine, the feeling, everything was indescribable.
From Balad, we made our way towards Kadhmain. I had dozed off on the way, and when I opened my eyes and saw the two beautiful domes, I was left with this feeling in my heart which I can’t put in words. My attachment towards Imam Musa Al Kadhim (as) has been incredibly special. He makes a very important period in the Imamat, which helped me find my way towards the truth, Alhamdulillah. On the other hand Imam Al Jawad (as), again I have no place to you describe the kind of position he holds in history and how much of him I have been in awe of. MashAllah!
It was an absolute honor for me to be able to visit the Shrine at Kadhmain, I didn’t want to leave, my heart was aching deeply when I made my way out to return towards Karbala. I sincerely hope and wish, that Imams of Samarra and Kadhmain call me for visitation again soon, Insha Allah! Ya Rab!
The last day of our trip was the most painful and saddening, as we visited all the sites of the battle of Karbala. We started with sitting near the water end and remembering Hazrat Abbas (as) and how he represents the word loyalty. How AbuFadhlil Abbas (as) was faithful towards his brother till the very end. It breaks your heart while seeing the cold water as to how AbuFadhlil Abbas (as) must have refrained from it. It shows the enormous amount of love and dedication he had towards Imam Al Hussain (as).
Another lesson here, loyalty.
Then we visited two of the saddest sites of this entire trip. The maqam of Imam Hussain’s (as) sons, Ali Akbar (as) and Baby Ali Asghar (as). These sites are a bit far away from each other and deep within the market. Trust me if I ever go alone I would never be able to find them. But of course, the people around in Karbala can always guide you, they are extremely kind and helpful. When we arrived here, the whole atmosphere changed. Each one of us couldn’t hold back our tears, grief surrounded our hearts. It was super emotional, with all the poetry being recited, Sayed Ammar Nakshawani telling us what happened there on the day of Karbala. It was again something I can’t really put into words. I remember feeling about those two personalities unlike I have ever felt before. It was just enormously heartbreaking.
From there we went to the place where the tents of Imam Al Hussain’s (as) camps were, where the entire Ahlulbayt (as) resided on those nights of Muharrum. It has been made into a beautiful masjid, with the different places of different personalities marked with a dharih made upon them. Absolutely stunning and heartbreaking at the same time. There as well Shiekh Al Hilli gave us a brief lecture on what happened at these places on those nights of Muharrum. The line that shook me completely was, “So, you can see, they were praying on this side, and there was music playing on the other side.” Alhamdulillah, it changed something inside me. Alhamdulillah!
Some of us had to leave early the next morning, so we had a little celebration and farewell that night, with some lovely manqabats and poetry and an after question-answer session which was mindblowing. Again a series of topics were addressed by Shiekh Al Hilli and Sayed Ammar Nakshawani wonderfully as always.
There were goodbyes and praises echoing all across the room, as I made my way towards the Haram to bid the toughest ever goodbye of my life to Imam Al Hussain (as) and his brother AbuFadhlil Abbas (as).
There we go, the most wonderful week of my life was over in no time. And now when I am sitting here after a week reflecting on everything, I feel amazed at how much I have grown over this trip. In terms of knowledge, in terms of as a person, in terms of my spirituality and how I feel towards my faith and my religion. It has all changed for better and more. Not only that, I left from there with some great friends, knowing a dozen people, meeting some really nice people, and had some fantastic conversations over this time. Of course along with having the opportunity to speak with Sayed Ammar Nakshawani about various things, the man who is surely responsible for all the inspiration that brings me here today. Yes, I am totally a fangirl!
Initially, before I went, I was of the lookout that many people have, that okay we did Ziyarah, it’s ticked off. Now let’s move on to the next thing on the list. I always wondered how people could go for Ziyarah every year, or sometimes even more than once a year. I was of the belief that once is enough Alhamdulillah. But now when I look back and think about it here right now at this moment, I feel I really need this every year. InshaAllah, if I am blessed I would love to go and visit every time, and each time, as much as I can. InshaAllah! I just want to quote a line from Ammar Nashed’s poetry here, “Send me to Karbala, leave me there!”
Going back to what I mentioned initially, that is going to Ziyarah really about waiting for an invitation? Or is it about devotion? Okay. So here is my theory. I can be wrong, I would love to know what you think about this in the comments below. Please do let me know.
Now we all have friends, we all have family and many people who we know. Do you get invited by all of them? No, right?
Exactly, my point. We get invited only by those, whom we truly love, we regularly communicate with, we truly care about, we constantly follow up on, we keep in touch with our every aspect of our lives.
Now, let’s look at the other side, what if you get invited by someone you don’t really wish to visit. Would you go? Would you make an effort to spend all that money to go and visit them? Would you take the trouble to go and see them? No, again right?
In my conclusion, as much Ziyarah surely happens with an invitation, but that is not the only thing that makes it happen. Those personalities see your devotion towards them. How much you give, how much you communicate, how much you care, how much supplicate to be with them! It all goes hand in hand, your devotion brings an invitation.
Of course, sometimes I feel the Infalliables also see the potential within, and then its flipped, the invitation comes first and then comes devotion. Surely!
Allah’s (swt) mercy is huge, and surely He listens. I pray from the bottom of my heart, that whoever is reading this, May He bless you and every lover with an invitation to His house, His Prophet’s city, a visitation towards his Ahlulbayt (as) sooner than soon, InshaAllah.
Thank you for reading!
God bless you!
In5iyahASays 